Dosing closure and method of using

ABSTRACT

A dispensing closure assembly includes a container having a threaded finish portion, at least one modular sealed vial that contains a substance, and a closure cap that is adapted to be screwed on to the container. The closure cap includes a closure main body having a top portion and a downwardly depending sidewall portion that is adapted to be secured to the container. An insert is positioned between the closure cap and the container for opening the modular sealed vial when the closure cap is screwed on to the container. A method of dispensing a substance into the container is also disclosed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention broadly relates to the field of packaging, and morespecifically relates to a portion closure that is adapted to release asubstance into a container.

2. Description of the Related Technology

Many substances that are in wide commercial use are able to beconcentrated by the manufacturer and later reconstituted by the consumerby mixing the concentrated with water. It is often ecologicallypreferable to use concentrates rather than paying the economic andsocial costs of transporting the bulkier final product through thedistribution chain to the consumer. In addition, concentrates tend tohave a longer shelf life than the unconcentrated product. Accordingly,many products are already being sold in concentrated form, with avariety of different structures having been advanced for mixing andreconstituting the concentrate into the final product.

One disadvantage of using a concentrate is that the consumer will oftenend up with the concentrate or the final product on his or her hands,which in some cases may be unpleasant or unhealthy, or the concentrate,the water or the final product may be spilled on to other surfaces. Aneed exists for a portion closure that provides a safe and convenientway to dispensing a concentrate into a container without the concentrateever coming into direct contact with the consumer or the surroundingenvironment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a portionclosure that provides a safe and convenient way to dispensing aconcentrate into a container without the concentrate ever coming intodirect contact with the consumer or the surrounding environment.

In order to achieve the above and other objects of the invention, asystem for dispensing a substance into a container includes a closuremain body having a top portion and a downwardly depending sidewallportion that is adapted to be secured to a container; vial securingstructure for securing to the closure main body a modular sealed vialthat contains a substance; and unsealing structure for unsealing thesealed vial when the closure is secured on to the container.

According to a second aspect of the invention, a dispensing containerassembly includes a container having a threaded finish portion; at leastone modular sealed vial that contains a substance; and a closure capincluding a closure main body having a top portion and a downwardlydepending sidewall portion that is adapted to be secured to a container;and vial securing structure for securing the modular sealed vial; and aninsert positioned between the closure cap and the container forunsealing the sealed vial.

According to a third aspect of the invention, a method of dispensing asubstance into a container includes steps of securing a sealed modularvial between a container and a closure cap; and unsealing the modularvial by screwing the closure cap onto the container.

These and various other advantages and features of novelty thatcharacterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in theclaims annexed hereto and forming a part hereof. However, for a betterunderstanding of the invention, its advantages, and the objects obtainedby its use, reference should be made to the drawings which form afurther part hereof, and to the accompanying descriptive matter, inwhich there is illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of theinvention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded fragmentary perspective view of a system that isconstructed according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a dispensing containerassembly according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, shownin a first operational position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designatecorresponding structure throughout the views, and referring inparticular to FIG. 1, a system 10 for dispensing a substance into acontainer when combined with a container 14 forms a dispensing containerassembly 12, which is illustrated in FIG. 2. Referring again to FIG. 2,container 14 includes a finish portion 16 having a plurality of externalthreads 18, as is conventional. Dispensing container assembly 12 furtherincludes a modular sealed vial 20 that is generally cylindrical in shapeand that contains a substance that is intended to be mixed with thecontents of the container 14. A closure 22 that is configured to be ableto screwed on to the finish portion 16 of the container 14 includes aclosure main body 24 having a top portion 26 and a downwardly dependingsidewall portion 28. The downwardly depending sidewall portion 28 has aplurality of internal threads 30 molded therein that are shaped andsized to mesh with the threads 18 that are provided on the finishportion 16 of the container 14.

As is shown in FIG. 2, vial securing structure 32 is provided on theclosure 22 for securing the modular sealed vial 20 to the underside ofthe closure 22. In the preferred embodiment, vial securing structure 32is configured as a downwardly projecting annular cylindrical projectionthat is concentrically positioned within the closure 22 and that isintegrally molded to the underside of the top portion 26 of the closure22.

Dispensing container assembly 12 further preferably includes an insertmember 34 that is positioned between the container 14 and the closure 22for unsealing the sealed modular vial 20. The sealed modular vial 20preferably has an open bottom end that is sealed by a frangible membrane36, which is preferably a foil laminate that is sealed to thecylindrical body of the vial 20. As may best be seen in FIG. 1, anoutwardly projecting annular ring 38 is molded into the vial 20, as is alongitudinally extending rib 40 that is positioned near the upper end ofthe vial 20. Annular ring 38 is adapted to snapped into a mating annularrecess 44 that is defined in the cylindrical projection 42 of the vialsecuring structure 32. Longitudinal rib 40 is adapted to fit into amating groove 41 that is also defined in the cylindrical projection 42of the vial securing structure 32. The purpose of the coupling of theannular ring 38 and the annular recess 44 is to keep the vial 20positioned snugly within the vial securing structure 32. The purpose ofthe coupling of the longitudinal rib 40 and the recess 41 is to keep thevial 20 from rotating relative to the closure cap 22 during operation.This ensures that the vial 20 will turn together with the closure cap 22as the closure cap 22 is screwed onto the container 14.

As is best shown in FIG. 1, insert 34 has a lip portion 46 that isshaped to fit securely over the end of the finish portion 16 of thecontainer 14. This keeps the insert 34 precisely located with respect tothe container 14. Insert 34 further preferably includes an upwardprojection 47 that terminates in a sharp point or tip 48, and aplurality of radial projections 50 that extend radially outwardly fromthe projection 47. A passageway 52 is further defined in the lowerportion of the insert 34 for permitting the material from within thebreached vial 20 to flow downwardly into the container 14 after opening.

The consumer will insert the vial 20 into the vial securing structure,and will then screw the closure cap 22 on to the container 14. As thisoccurs, the tip 48 of the projection 47 will penetrate and breach themembrane 36 of the vial 20, and as the vial continues to rotate withrespect to the projection 47 as the closure cap 22 continues to beturned, the radial projections 50 will further tear the membrane furtheropen, thus permitting even more of the substance within the vial 20 toescape through the passageway 52 into the container.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerouscharacteristics and advantages of the present invention have been setforth in the foregoing description, together with details of thestructure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrativeonly, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape,size and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention tothe full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms inwhich the appended claims are expressed.

1. A system for dispensing a substance into a container, comprising: aclosure main body having a top portion and a downwardly dependingsidewall portion that is adapted to be secured to a container; vialsecuring means for securing to said closure main body a modular sealedvial that contains a substance; and unsealing means for unsealing saidsealed vial when said closure is secured on to the container.
 2. Asystem according to claim 1, wherein said sidewall portion is threadedfor engagement with mating threading on a container, and wherein saidunsealing means is constructed and arranged to unseal said sealed vialwhen said closure is being screwed onto the container.
 3. A systemaccording to claim 2, wherein said unsealing means is constructed andarranged to breach said sealed vial.
 4. A system according to claim 3,wherein said unsealing means is constructed and arranged to breach saidsealed vial by penetrating a frangible membrane that is sealed to saidvial.
 5. A system according to claim 1, wherein said unsealing meanscomprises an insert that is mounted between said closure cap and acontainer.
 6. A system according to claim 5, wherein said insertcomprises means for breaching said sealed vial.
 7. A system according toclaim 6, wherein said vial securing means is constructed and arranged toprevent rotation of said sealed vial with respect to said closure mainbody, whereby said seal vial will rotate with said closure main bodywhen said closure main body is screwed on to the container.
 8. A systemaccording to claim 7, wherein said insert further comprises at least oneradial projection for tearing a breached portion of said sealed vial assaid closure main body is screwed on to the container.
 9. A systemaccording to claim 5, wherein said unsealing means is adapted to unsealsaid sealed vial when said closure main body is in a first location withrespect to said insert.
 10. A system according to claim 6, wherein saidinsert further defines a passageway for permitting the substance fromsaid sealed vial to drop into the container after said sealed vial isbreached.
 11. A system according to claim 6, wherein said insertcomprises means for breaching a lowermost portion of said sealed vial,whereby the substance within said sealed vial will be permitted to flowfrom said vial after said vial is breached.
 12. A dispensing containerassembly, comprising: a container having a threaded finish portion; atleast one modular sealed vial that contains a substance; and a closurecap comprising: a closure main body having a top portion and adownwardly depending sidewall portion that is adapted to be secured to acontainer; and vial securing means for securing said modular sealedvial; and an insert positioned between said closure cap and saidcontainer for unsealing said sealed vial.
 13. An assembly according toclaim 12, wherein said sidewall portion is threaded for engagement withsaid threaded finish portion, and wherein said insert is constructed andarranged to unseal said sealed vial when said closure is being screwedonto the container.
 14. An assembly according to claim 12, wherein saidinsert is constructed and arranged to breach said sealed vial.
 15. Anassembly according to claim 14, wherein said insert is constructed andarranged to breach said sealed vial by penetrating a frangible membranethat is sealed to said vial.
 16. An assembly according to claim 12,wherein said vial securing means is constructed and arranged to preventrotation of said sealed vial with respect to said closure main body,whereby said seal vial will rotate with said closure main body when saidclosure main body is screwed on to the container.
 17. An assemblyaccording to claim 16, wherein said insert further comprises at leastone radial projection for tearing a breached portion of said sealed vialas said closure main body is screwed on to the container.
 18. Anassembly according to claim 15, wherein said insert is adapted to unsealsaid sealed vial when said closure main body is in a first location withrespect to said insert.
 19. An assembly according to claim 12, whereinsaid insert further defines a passageway for permitting the substancefrom said sealed vial to drop into the container after said sealed vialis breached.
 20. An assembly according to claim 12, wherein said insertcomprises means for breaching a lowermost portion of said sealed vial,whereby the substance within said sealed vial will be permitted to flowfrom said vial after said vial is breached.
 21. A method of dispensing asubstance into a container, comprising steps of: (a) securing a sealedmodular vial between a container and a closure cap; and (b) unsealingthe modular vial by screwing said closure cap onto said container.